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Mitt Romney's Mormon background doesn't concern five former Catholic ambassadors to the Vatican who endorsed him for President on Saturday.

“We the undersigned former U.S. Ambassadors to the Holy See —Thomas Melady, Ray Flynn, James Nicholson, Francis Rooney and Mary Ann Glendon — are united in our wholehearted support for the candidacy of Mitt Romney for the Presidency of the United States because of his commitment to and support of the values that we feel are critical in a national leader," they wrote in an endorsement posted on Romney's campaign website.

“Although our political affiliations are diverse, we recognize the importance of family and traditional values in American life. We also share the conviction that Governor Romney has the experience, vision and commitment to the common good that our country needs at this crucial moment in history."

Four years ago, right wing evangelicals warned Presidential candidate John McCain against choosing Mitt Romney as his running mate on account of his religious background. McCain endorsed Romney this week.

Around 20 leading social conservatives signed an open letter to Senator McCain expressing their displeasure over the prospect of a Romney Vice Presidency, which was being pushed by Karl Rove, Fox News host Sean Hannity and other influential Republican voices. Among the anti-Romney signers were people like Paul Weyrich of the Free Congress Foundation, who once supported Romney and then publicly regretted it.

Republican Mike Huckabee once keynoted a 1998 Southern Baptist Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah where the convention's theme was -- ironically -- to fight against Mormonism. Utah is the home of the Church of Latter Day Saints, the church of American Mormons. Huckabee often chided Romney for his religious beliefs. Once, when asked whether he considered Mormonism a cult or religion the former Arkansas governor said, "I think it's a religion. I really don't know much about it."

Romney was a one-term governor of Massachusetts from 2002 to 2006. He did not seek re-election. He often battled with the state's powerful teachers unions, and is seen as successfully cutting the state's spending while increasing fees that eliminated a nearly $3 billion state deficit. He also signed into law the Massachusetts Healthcare Reform Act, which expanded the MassHealth Medicare program for low income state residents to include un-insured middle class families, given them low cost access to public and private hospitals and medical centers in the state.